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Overview

A licensed professional engineer and a trial lawyer, David brings on-the-ground experience to Husch Blackwell.

His practice focuses on all aspects of construction, from preparation and negotiation of contracts to pursuing and defending claims in lawsuits and arbitrations. David’s link to the industry began before law school, when he worked as an engineer for a construction company. He’s applied his industry experience in representing owners, architects, engineers, contractors, subcontractors and suppliers in all stages of the construction process. He has helped clients in negotiating professional services, construction and design/build contracts for individual projects costing in excess of $100 million.

David’s industry work has included: 

  • Serving as national counsel and advisor for an industrial and commercial coatings manufacturer on all product related claims and lawsuits throughout the United States. 
  • Serving as construction counsel for a large Kansas City metropolitan school district in its $700 million capital improvement campaign. 
  • Preparing and negotiating project management, construction, architectural and consulting agreements for a $140 million capital improvement campaign for the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. 
  • Serving as construction counsel for a Chicago-based company, handling all construction related claims during its bankruptcy.

Recognized as an industry leader among his peers, David has been named a Best Lawyer in the areas of Construction and Real Estate law since 2008.

Industry

Services

Recognition

  • The Best Lawyers in America®
    • Construction Law, 2008-2025
    • Litigation - Construction, 2024 and 2025
    • Real Estate Law, 2008-2025
  • Missouri & Kansas Super Lawyers, Construction/Surety, 2006-2012, 2014, 2016-2020, 2022 and 2023

Education

  • J.D., University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law
  • M.B.A., Rockhurst University
  • B.S., University of Missouri

Admissions

  • Missouri
  • Kansas

Professional Memberships and Certifications

  • Kansas Bar Association
  • The Missouri Bar
Experience
  • Represented electric utility in connection with the turbine supply and EPC (engineering, procurement and construction) contracts for a 110 megawatt peaking facility in Kansas.
  • Negotiated EPC contract for substation upgrades in connection with reactive power requirements of the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) on behalf of a large wind energy facility owner.
  • National counsel and advisor for an industrial and commercial coatings manufacturer on all product related claims and lawsuits throughout the United States.
  • Construction counsel for a large Kansas City metropolitan school district in its $700 million capital improvement campaign that involved 85 schools and other facilities.
  • Prepared and negotiated project management, construction, architectural and consulting agreements for a $140 million capital improvement campaign for the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art.
  • Construction counsel for a Chicago-based company, handling all construction related claims during its bankruptcy.
  • Assisted a Kansas City-based hospital with the negotiation of a multiyear agreement to outsource the hospital’s maintenance staff.
  • Advised and resolved a $5 million claim by one of the world’s largest providers of professional technical services concerning a wind tunnel project in Southeast Asia.
  • Represented one of the industry’s leading manufacturers of refractory materials in a $1.4 million mechanic’s lien lawsuit that sought compensation for work performed during the renovation of a power plant.
  • Served on developer's counsel team for Swift Current in the closing of debt financing and a tax equity commitment for a 266 MW solar project located in Southeast Texas. The Husch Blackwell team assisted in the areas of real estate, environmental and permitting, and electric regulatory throughout the purchase, development, debt financing, and funding stages. The transaction was structured to reflect the new U.S. Inflation Reduction Act policy guidance.
Case Studies
Garney Construction

We represented the project lead in the Vista Ridge project, the largest water infrastructure P3 in the United States.

Community Leadership
  • Children’s Museum of Kansas City, President, 2002 
  • Construction Industry Advisory Panel, Kansas City Region of the American Arbitration Association (AAA) 
  • Kansas City Board of Election Commissioners, Counsel